Felix, meanwhile, was terrified, especially after his sister
left. He didnít fit in with the other kids in this godforsaken town, with his
long hair, dreamy nature, and love of music and art. Life was pretty much hell,
between his motherís crazed boyfriend at home and the taunting kids at school
and the ever-perilous streets between the two. At night, heíd stare out the
window, listening to the Beach Boys and dreaming of escape, an escape to
California with its surf, sun, and sand. Many years later, he realized that those
dreams had saved his life.†